“All Over the Road with John McPhee” by Brenda Vicondoa
- Jody McIntyre
“All Over the Road with John McPhee” is an article that talks about the many roads that McPhee travels to examine his subjects before reporting on them. If I’ve noticed anything special about McPhee’s way of doing things, it is that he does travel above and beyond to experience first-hand what it is he will be writing about. This article specifically talks about his travels to the American West where he writes about landscapes and geology-related issues discussed by geologists themselves. John McPhee is merely the observer.
From reading the article, I get the sense that Brenda Vicondoa, the author of this article, seems to admire and appreciate McPhee’s writing. She acknowledges the journey’s taken – sometimes difficult – in order for McPhee to effectively write:
"As he accompanies experts and scientists through their familiar terrains, surviving grizzly bears in Alaska, sore feet on America’s wilderness trails, narrow, perilous mountain roads, and interstate traffic, his descriptions are rich and vivid with details. Enough professional jargon is used to add scientific credibility and atmosphere, but not so much to prevent the reader from enjoying the subject, whether it be fly fishing in Alaska’s Salmon River or the effects of tectonic plate movement on Los Angeles."
The last sentence of that quote I find to be very true, and a lot of other class members have said that same thing about McPhee. It doesn’t matter how boring or complex the subject may be because McPhee will be careful in how he represents it. He knows the everyday reader is not a fellow geologist, or an avid salmon fisher, or anything of the like… so he’s cautious. He’s also dedicated and passionate about his work. It is noted in the article that McPhee spent months in the field with geologists to observe daily scientific life in order to fully grasp that field of work. This type of dedication does not go unnoticed: “…part of McPhee’s success is due to his ability to observe objectively and to gain the trust and cooperation of people passionate about their work.”
The article goes on to talk about one of McPhee’s articles, “Encounters with the Archdruid,” where he spends an afternoon hiking with Charles Park, a geologist, and David Brower, a conservationist. Both men differ in their views, but McPhee is careful not to take sides. He generously listens to both men with an open mind and admiration for each of them. One way that McPhee illustrates their differences without him actually having to favour one over the other, is by using their debates as dialogues. What is McPhee’s comment following the debate-heated dialogue? “A breeze coming off the nearby acres of snow felt cool but not chilling in the sunshine, and rumpled the white hair of the two men.” Oh, McPhee, you slay us!
Brenda Vicondoa noted an important (and necessary, I think, for a journalist) attribute about McPhee: “After McPhee presents each view, he moves on, assuming readers will decide where the truth lies, or if there is such a thing as the truth.” John McPhee has faith in that his readers can decide for themselves. He’s not going to judge you, he will not answer for you, he will not influence your decision… he just lays it out for you.
Ending the article, Vicondoa concludes with how McPhee, when writing about the environment, places more importance of our own understanding of both ourselves and the environment, rather than providing us with answers. McPhee reminds us that while we are affecting the environment, the environment is affecting us.
Throughout the article Vicondoa is mainly reflecting and summarizing on McPhee articles, just as we are supposed to be doing as well. She recognizes a lot of excellent “McPhee abilities,” starting with the journey’s that he takes in order to effectively write. McPhee involves himself more than he probably needs to, but does so because he loves doing it. And when you’re doing something you love, the result is just that much better.
“All Over the Road with John McPhee” by Brenda Vicondoa
- Jody McIntyre
“All Over the Road with John McPhee” is an article that talks about the many roads that McPhee travels to examine his subjects before reporting on them. If I’ve noticed anything special about McPhee’s way of doing things, it is that he does travel above and beyond to experience first-hand what it is he will be writing about. This article specifically talks about his travels to the American West where he writes about landscapes and geology-related issues discussed by geologists themselves. John McPhee is merely the observer.
From reading the article, I get the sense that Brenda Vicondoa, the author of this article, seems to admire and appreciate McPhee’s writing. She acknowledges the journey’s taken – sometimes difficult – in order for McPhee to effectively write:
"As he accompanies experts and scientists through their familiar terrains, surviving grizzly bears in Alaska, sore feet on America’s wilderness trails, narrow, perilous mountain roads, and interstate traffic, his descriptions are rich and vivid with details. Enough professional jargon is used to add scientific credibility and atmosphere, but not so much to prevent the reader from enjoying the subject, whether it be fly fishing in Alaska’s Salmon River or the effects of tectonic plate movement on Los Angeles."
The last sentence of that quote I find to be very true, and a lot of other class members have said that same thing about McPhee. It doesn’t matter how boring or complex the subject may be because McPhee will be careful in how he represents it. He knows the everyday reader is not a fellow geologist, or an avid salmon fisher, or anything of the like… so he’s cautious. He’s also dedicated and passionate about his work. It is noted in the article that McPhee spent months in the field with geologists to observe daily scientific life in order to fully grasp that field of work. This type of dedication does not go unnoticed: “…part of McPhee’s success is due to his ability to observe objectively and to gain the trust and cooperation of people passionate about their work.”
The article goes on to talk about one of McPhee’s articles, “Encounters with the Archdruid,” where he spends an afternoon hiking with Charles Park, a geologist, and David Brower, a conservationist. Both men differ in their views, but McPhee is careful not to take sides. He generously listens to both men with an open mind and admiration for each of them. One way that McPhee illustrates their differences without him actually having to favour one over the other, is by using their debates as dialogues. What is McPhee’s comment following the debate-heated dialogue? “A breeze coming off the nearby acres of snow felt cool but not chilling in the sunshine, and rumpled the white hair of the two men.” Oh, McPhee, you slay us!
Brenda Vicondoa noted an important (and necessary, I think, for a journalist) attribute about McPhee: “After McPhee presents each view, he moves on, assuming readers will decide where the truth lies, or if there is such a thing as the truth.” John McPhee has faith in that his readers can decide for themselves. He’s not going to judge you, he will not answer for you, he will not influence your decision… he just lays it out for you.
Ending the article, Vicondoa concludes with how McPhee, when writing about the environment, places more importance of our own understanding of both ourselves and the environment, rather than providing us with answers. McPhee reminds us that while we are affecting the environment, the environment is affecting us.
Throughout the article Vicondoa is mainly reflecting and summarizing on McPhee articles, just as we are supposed to be doing as well. She recognizes a lot of excellent “McPhee abilities,” starting with the journey’s that he takes in order to effectively write. McPhee involves himself more than he probably needs to, but does so because he loves doing it. And when you’re doing something you love, the result is just that much better.